1 T hese are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob. Each one came with those of his house:

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one with his household:

2 R euben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah;

3 I ssachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin;

4 D an, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 T here were seventy people in Jacob’s family. But Joseph was already in Egypt.

All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt.

6 J oseph and all his brothers died and all their families of that time.

Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.

7 B ut the sons of Israel had many children, and the people became many in number. There were so many that the land was filled with them.

But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.

8 T hen a new king came into power over Egypt. He did not know Joseph.

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

9 H e said to his people, “See, the people of Israel are too many and too powerful for us.

He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

10 C ome, let us be wise in how we act towards them, or they will become more in number. If there is a war, they might join with those who hate us. They might fight against us and then leave the land.”

Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.”

11 S o they put men in power over them to make them work hard. And they built the store-cities Pithom and Raamses for Pharaoh the king.

So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.

12 B ut the more the Egyptians made them suffer, the more they became until they spread throughout the land. So the Egyptians were afraid of the people of Israel.

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel.

13 T he Egyptians made the people of Israel work very hard.

The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously;

14 T hey made their lives bitter with hard work building with stones and with all kinds of work in the field. They made them work very hard.

and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.

15 T hen the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew nurses. The name of one was Shiphrah. The name of the other was Puah.

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah;

16 H e said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth, and see the baby before the mother does, if it is a son, kill him. But if it is a daughter, let her live.”

and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

17 B ut the nurses feared God. They did not do what the king of Egypt told them. They let the boys live.

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.

18 S o the king of Egypt called the nurses and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the boys live?”

So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?”

19 T he nurses answered Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are strong. They give birth before the nurse comes to them.”

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.”

20 S o God was good to the nurses. And the people became many and strong.

So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.

21 B ecause the nurses feared God, He gave them families.

Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.

22 T hen Pharaoh told all his people, “Throw every son who is born to the Hebrews into the Nile. But keep every daughter alive.”

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “ Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”